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So I don't often buy new reels, but I needed to replace my aging sahara 4000fd. It's caught many a big fish in its day, including my only MD citation, but despite a few semi-major repairs, it's been singing its death song. That isn't bad considering I got it probably 10 years ago for maybe $70 and have fished it for everything from stocker trout to medium sized sharks.
Anyway, I had a $100 gift card burning a hole in my pocket so I decided to pickup a Shimano Spheros Inshore 4000SW. This is a new reel from shimano, and it's basically a way for them to keep using the molds from the Stradic FK (the new model stradic is the FL). It's very similar to the FK minus 1 ball bearing in the sideplate (it uses a bushing), and it uses the rotor from the Ultegra, which is a pricier reel. It also uses bushings in the handle knob vs bearings in the FK, and a different line roller bearing and bail design. It has the same gears, same frame, worm-gear oscillation (rare in a reel below $150 from Shimano), and waterproofing as the FK as well, but a color scheme that's similar to the Nasci. I don't think the FK used CF drag washers in the 3 and 4000 sizes, but this reel does, and it's got a thread-in handle as opposed to the weird thread through design that some cheaper shimanos use. For $120, it's tough to beat this kind of a deal. They only offer the reel in 2 sizes, a 3000 and 4000, and I think 2 different ratios for the 3000. I don't think they wanted to cannibalize some of their other models, so they only offered a couple sizes, but it does make a few of their reels seem odd. The Ultegra, for example, uses a completely plastic frame (versus metal for the spheros inshore) but it's $30 more expensive. They should've named the reel similar to the stradic FK instead of the spheros, as it shares far more with the former than the latter. But apart from the name, and maybe a few small gripes I have with the reel, it really is one of the best deals for saltwater spinning reels at its price point. I recommend it, and will be giving it a proper test soon, starting in NC over new years.
Anyway, I had a $100 gift card burning a hole in my pocket so I decided to pickup a Shimano Spheros Inshore 4000SW. This is a new reel from shimano, and it's basically a way for them to keep using the molds from the Stradic FK (the new model stradic is the FL). It's very similar to the FK minus 1 ball bearing in the sideplate (it uses a bushing), and it uses the rotor from the Ultegra, which is a pricier reel. It also uses bushings in the handle knob vs bearings in the FK, and a different line roller bearing and bail design. It has the same gears, same frame, worm-gear oscillation (rare in a reel below $150 from Shimano), and waterproofing as the FK as well, but a color scheme that's similar to the Nasci. I don't think the FK used CF drag washers in the 3 and 4000 sizes, but this reel does, and it's got a thread-in handle as opposed to the weird thread through design that some cheaper shimanos use. For $120, it's tough to beat this kind of a deal. They only offer the reel in 2 sizes, a 3000 and 4000, and I think 2 different ratios for the 3000. I don't think they wanted to cannibalize some of their other models, so they only offered a couple sizes, but it does make a few of their reels seem odd. The Ultegra, for example, uses a completely plastic frame (versus metal for the spheros inshore) but it's $30 more expensive. They should've named the reel similar to the stradic FK instead of the spheros, as it shares far more with the former than the latter. But apart from the name, and maybe a few small gripes I have with the reel, it really is one of the best deals for saltwater spinning reels at its price point. I recommend it, and will be giving it a proper test soon, starting in NC over new years.
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